Chronicle Editor
Luckson Pasipanodya, Correspondent
EDUCATION is an indispensable constituent of personal and national development as it offers many opportunities. It buttresses the development of a prominently skilled and innovative workforce that is effervescent for social, cultural and economic growth of any country.
Zimbabwe’s education system has provided today’s generation with knowledge, skills and a fusion of attitudes that have driven the country‘s growth and prosperity to date. The nation has realised improvements in quality and provision of education since independence in 1980.
Achievements such as a high literacy rate of 92 percent were realised through stakeholders’ collaborative drive towards making the country economically competitive.
However, global changes have triggered a lot of alterations to the country’s education system. Zimbabwe’s education system was reviewed in 1998 under the Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training (CIET) led by Professor Cephas Nziramasanga. Nevertheless, it was not implemented due to a myriad of problems. With time, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MPoSE) went on to develop a Curriculum Framework (2015-2022) to provide a comprehensive plan for a rapid and sustainable transformation of the entire education system.
Building on this initiative, the fundamental changes require learners to get their hands dirty and lay strong foundations for vocational skills to empower them and develop enterprise skills while contributing to national socio-economic transformation.
Traditionally, the country’s education system emphasised the development of strong content knowledge at the expense of relevant critical skills and competencies.
Content knowledge mastery has not been adequate as an exit attribute relevant to sustainable economic development. The shift to focus on developing higher-order thinking skills and competencies birthed a curriculum review in 2015.
This curriculum sought to provide an education system that gave learners an appreciation of their unique identity and establishment of a strong scientific and technological predisposition.
The education aspect of the curriculum review involved re-aligning or adjusting the curriculum to meet new socio-economic imperatives in society. It is a renewal process regularly carried out by the Government to adjust and improve the existing education practices. This is done in light of emerging national and global socio-economic trends. Of importance is that, it is intended to guide schools and teachers, stakeholders and parents on the curriculum process in a fast-paced environment.
The new Heritage Based Education curriculum was principally informed by the findings and recommendations of the Narrative Report 2014-2015, Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training (CIET) Report published in 1999, Zimbabwean Constitution (2013), the Education Act as amended in 2006, and the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset 2013). It was also informed by the country’s heritage, history, national ideals and aspirations in view of Vision 2030.
Schools are encouraged to actively engage, as learning organisations, in providing diversified opportunities for all learners to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant for sustainable economic development while providing a structure around which schools can build educational programmes that ensure learners achieve desired outcomes.
In 2023, the Government was occupied with another review scheduled for the end of 2022 as introduced by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education through Circular No.2 of 2017. This was repealed by the current Circular No. 4 of 2024 introduced on 26 April 2024 for implementation of a Heritage Based Education 5.0 in May 2024. The circular articulates that the examination classes for the year 2024, will be assessed on the basis of the 2015-2022 curriculum, grounded on summative and continuous assessment models.
The continous assessment adopted for implementation by non-examination classes has replaced the Continuos Assessment Learning Activities (CALAs) which were a requirement in all subjects at an average of five activities per subject with the recent School-Based Project. The Heritage-Based Education 5.0 (2024-2030) is well aligned with Vision 2030 which seeks to achieve a middle income economy by 2030.
The Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model is an innovative approach to learning that incorporates cultural heritage and traditional knowledge into modern education. It entails cultural relevance where learning is founded in the cultural heritage and traditions of the community, making education more meaningful and relatable. It promotes intergenerational knowledge transfer. Moreover, it allows the passing down and transfer of cultural knowledge, values, and traditions, with the hope of promoting a sense of identity and belonging. It’s a hands-on experience and project-based learning that allows learners to apply cultural knowledge in practical ways, developing skills and critical thinking.
It extends beyond the classroom, involving community members, organisations, and cultural institutions in the learning process. Learners progress through demonstrations of cultural competence, critical thinking, and creativity, rather than traditional age-based grade levels. Educators receive professional development and resources to integrate cultural heritage into their teaching practices focusing on the country’s rich cultural, historical, and social heritage towards development.
A synopsis of the Heritage Based Education 5.0 curriculum to be implemented in schools shows that it is presented in a spiral approach as follows:
Early Child Development (ECD A-Grade 2).
The medium of instruction at this level shall be an indigenous language commonly used in the area as outlined in the Constitution. The learning module at this level covers six learning areas namely; Indigenous Language, English Language, Mathematics; Science and Technology; Physical Education and Arts; and Social Sciences.
Junior School (Grade 3-7).
The level will have Indigenous Language, English Language, Mathematics, Science and Technology; Physical Education and Arts and Social Sciences. The Science and Technology learning area will derive its major content from Science, Design, Technology, Agriculture and ICT merged together. Physical Education and Arts is an integration of Physical Education, Visual and Performing Arts, and Mass Displays into one learning area. Social Sciences is an integration of Family, Religious and Moral Education (FAREME), Heritage Studies and Guidance and Counselling and Life Skills Orientation Programme.
Lower Secondary School (Form 1 to 4)
In Forms 1 to 4, all learners are required to study five core and compulsory learning areas which include Mathematics, English Language, Indigenous Language and Literature, Combined Science and Heritage Studies and they will have to choose electives from the Sciences, Languages, Humanities, Commercials, Technical and Vocational Education as well as Physical Education and Arts to make a total of eight subjects at this level. It recommends that learners sit for eight subjects only unlike in the past where learners would study as many as 20 subjects.
Upper Secondary School Level (Form 5 and 6)
Forms 5 and 6 learners are expected to study according to career pathways. A leaner is placed into a pathway of choice using the acquired competencies (knowledge, skills, and values) and profile record. All learning areas have the same weight and the curriculum promotes five pathways which are: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Visual and Performing Arts; Technical and Vocational Education and Training; Humanities and Commercials.
To ensure that the Heritage Based Education 5.0 is advancing relevant skills acquisition, learners can progress to Advanced Level, university or they can follow the Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework skills pathway under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.
They can pursue Higher Education Council (HEXCO) or the National Foundation Certificate at Form 4 and National Certificate after Form 4 using the module model of learning. They will be accredited with a skills worker certification after National Foundation Certificate and National Certificate. Equally, they can also enrol in Polytechnic Colleges and Industrial Vocational Training Colleges for skills development programmes.
Thus, the curriculum aims to equip learners with a deep understanding of the Zimbabwean heritage and prepare them to contribute to their communities and the nation at large. It is culturally relevant and integrates multiple subjects so as to provide a comprehensive understanding of the heritage. Finally, by embracing Heritage-Based Education 5.0, Zimbabwe seeks to empower learners to become culturally aware, critical thinkers, compassionate individuals and innovators who contribute to their communities’ well-being, promote cultural preservation and become empowered to carry forward their heritage for future generations sustainably.
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